Tag: Coreene Callahan

Sorry for the hit-and-run posting lately, but I am in the middle of a monster stretch of long, long work days. But, since it has been almost three weeks since my last reading wrap up post, I thought we could take a look at what we all have been indulging in lately.

Honestly, there just hasn’t been time to read much at all. I did devour Big Jack from J.D. Robb, which is a novella from the In Death series. It was a fun read, and it really made me toy with the idea of picking up the Nora Roberts story that it is connected to. I did jump right into the next full book, Divided in Death, but this is the first one of the series that just hasn’t grabbed me that much. I’m not saying it is bad or anything, but I did put it down over a week ago and haven’t had any burning drive to pick it up again. Bur really, I’m not complaining. At this many stories in, it was more than time.

Other than that, I am about half-way through Fury of Surrender by Coreene Callahan. I am only getting a few minutes here and there to read, so I am having a hard time getting into the flow of things. And once again, my selective amnesia seems to have kicked in and I don’t remember some details from the previous books. Like there is this dude, Nian, who is now part of the Nightfuries, and I have absolutely no recollection of him. None. It’s weird and a little frustrating, and happening more and more when series have long gaps between books. I am so going to have to start doing refresher reads.

That wraps me up, sadly. What have you been reading recently? Anything exciting?

It seems like forever since Coreene Callahan released a Dragonfire book, but that wait ended today. Fury of Surrender is the 6th story in the series, and it is my pick of the week.

Synopsis…

Dragon warrior Forge has been sentenced to death by the Dragonkind elite. Recalling the memories of his family’s murders could drive him to the edge of insanity, but it’s the only way to remove the target on his back. Fiercely determined to protect his pack and his newborn son, Forge agrees to undergo harrowing treatments to help him remember the trauma buried deep inside his heart and mind. When nothing works, a woman of unprecedented power is brought in to help.

Young, bright, and haunted by her own demons, hypnotherapist Hope Cunningham helps patients recover from their darkest memories. But each time she liberates a wayward soul, Hope’s personal pain digs deeper—until one patient ignites an unforgettable passion.

Forge’s healing journey is not without risk. Unwittingly, he has put Hope in the middle of a dangerous war, one that could shatter their eternal bond. Will the curative power of love be enough to save them?

Will you be checking this one out? It has been a while since I have gotten my hands on a good dragon shifter story, so that will be nice for a change.

Yep, this is coming way late, but it is time to take a look ahead and see what is heading our way for July. Honestly, unless I missed a whole bunch of books, there just isn’t that many titles coming in July. There are a couple I am looking forward to, and one big, big release, but other than that it will be a catch-up month. As always, I have picked a few titles to add to the poll, but a complete list of July’s releases can be found HERE. If you have a different choice for book of the month, just click “Other” and leave your selection in the comments section.

Yeah, so I am just going to go ahead and say that it is a pretty sure thing that Wildfire will be the monster winner. At this point, it might be smarter to ask what other book are you looking forward to. My second favorite would have to be Fury of Surrender from Coreene Callahan – it feels like forever since there has been a new book from the Dragonfury series.

I can’t believe it has been well over a month since my last cover lover post. Honestly, though, there just wasn’t that much going on. There were a few uploaded here and there, but nothing that grabbed my attention. So, here is a bit of a sampling of what I have found for the last few weeks.

After a bumpy start as the only female demon hunter in the top secret Brotherhood of David, Nava Katz heads to Prague for her first undercover mission: unmasking a demon movie star. She’d be all kinds of thrilled if it weren’t for the fact that her fellow hunter-with-benefits, Rohan Mitra, has reclaimed his rock star status and assigned Nava the role of groupie.

Rejecting her “be a good girl and follow orders” directive, Nava unleashes an alter ego guaranteed to hook their celebrity target and drive Rohan crazy. No downside–until she finds herself up against Rohan’s past, the Brotherhood’s antiquated thinking, and her own identity issues, turning her personal life into the bomb that could blow up the entire operation.

Sparkly and deadly; it’s a plan.

Did you know that there is an Innkeeper Chronicles collection coming from Ilona Andrews? I didn’t. It is a limited hardcover edition featuring all three of the first Innkeeper stories, and it will be released on May 31st.

Meet Dina Demille, a nice Texas gal who runs a seemingly ordinary, quaint B&B. But Dina’s inn is a magic, thinking entity; her fluffy Shih-tzu, Beast really is a beast; and her guests are the kind that no one on earth is supposed to know about: guests like a dethroned galactic tyrant with a massive bounty on her head, the Lord Marshal of a powerful vampire clan, and a displaced—and superhot—alpha-strain werewolf.

So don’t expect a normal stay…and don’t stand too close, or you may be collateral damage….

In Clean Sweep, Dina—with the unwanted assistance of newcomer (and alpha werewolf) Sean Evans and Arland, a cosmic vampire soldier—takes on an extraterrestrial killing machine that could destroy her Inn, her neighbors, and everything she holds dear.

Sweep in Peace, finds Dina hosting an anything-but peace summit between three warring intergalactic species; Space Vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the devious Merchants of Baha-char.

One Fell Sweep sends Dina to the galaxy’s worst penal colony to rescue her sister; and back home to fend off a clan of assassins in pursuit, all while saving a guest’s civilization from annihilation…and searching for her missing parents.

Angel Crawford has finally pulled herself together (literally!) after her disastrous dismemberment on Mardi Gras. She’s putting the pieces of her life back in order and is ready to tackle whatever the future holds.

Too bad the future is a nasty bitch. There’s a new kind of zombie in town: mindless shamblers, infectious and ravenous.

With the threat of a full-blown shambler pandemic looming, and a loved one stricken, Angel and the “real” zombies scramble to find a cure. Yet when Angel uncovers the true reason the plague is spreading so quickly, she adds “no-holds-barred revenge” to her to-do list.

Angel is busting her ass dealing with shambling hordes, zombie gators, government jerks, and way too many mosquitos, but this white trash chick ain’t giving up.

Good thing, since the fate of the world is resting on her undead shoulders.

Holly Black will start a new young adult fantasy series next year called The Folk of the Air. The first book is called The Cruel Prince, and it will be released on January 2nd.

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Another young adult fantasy book heading our way is Ever the Brave from Erin Summerill. It is the second book of her Clash of Kingdoms series, and it is due out on December 5th.

After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she’d like to, and now he’s insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.

The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart.

And guess what? This is another young adult fantasy cover, this time from author Morgan Rhodes. Immortal Reign is the 6th book in her Falling Kingdoms series, and it has a release date of December 12th.

Jonas continues to willfully defy his destiny, but the consequences of plotting his own course are drastic. As the fight for Mytica rages on, he must decide just how much more he’s willing to sacrifice.

Lucia knows there’s something special about her daughter and she’ll do anything to protect her, even if that means facing Kyan alone.

Amara is called back home to Kraeshia. Grandma Cortas has her own plans for Mytica’s future. She promises Amara power, revenge, and dominance if she agrees to be part of her scheme.

Magnus and Cleo‘s love will be put to the ultimate test. Dark magic is causing widespread destruction throughout the kingdom. Enemies across the sea are advancing. And unrest is stirring throughout the land. Is their love strong enough to withstand the outside forces tearing them apart?

This next one is from Bec McMaster. The Mech Who Loved Me is the second book of the London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy series, and it will be released on June 27th.

Ava McLaren is tired of being both a virgin, and a mere laboratory assistant for the Company of Rogues. When a baffling mystery rears its head, it presents her with the opportunity to work a real case… and perhaps get a taste of the passion that eludes her.

Blue bloods are dying from a mysterious disease, which should be impossible. Ava suspects there’s more to the case than meets the eye and wants a chance to prove herself. There’s just one catch—she’s ordered to partner with the sexy mech, Kincaid, who’s a constant thorn in her side. Kincaid thinks the only good blue blood is a dead one. He’s also the very last man she would ever give her heart to… which makes him the perfect candidate for an affair.

The only rule? It ends when the case does.

But when an attempt on her life proves that Ava might be onto something, the only one who can protect her is Kincaid. Suddenly the greatest risk is not to their hearts, but whether they can survive a diabolical plot that threatens to destroy every blue blood in London—including Ava.

I had honestly figured this series was dead, but then Coreene Callahan released the cover art for her 6th Dragonfury series, Fury of Surrender. This one has a release date of July 11th.

Dragon-warrior Forge has been sentenced to death by the Dragonkind elite. Recalling the memories of his family’s murders could drive him to the edge of insanity, but it’s the only way to remove the target on his back. Fiercely determined to protect his pack and his newborn son, Forge agrees to undergo harrowing treatments to help him remember the trauma buried deep inside his heart and mind. When nothing works, a woman of unprecedented power is brought in to help.

Young, bright, and haunted by her own demons, hypnotherapist Hope Cunningham helps patients recover from their darkest memories. But each time she liberates a wayward soul, Hope’s personal pain digs deeper—until one patient ignites an unforgettable passion.

Forge’s healing journey is not without risk. Unwittingly, he has put Hope in the middle of a dangerous war, one that could shatter their eternal bond. Will the curative power of love be enough to save them?

The third and final book of Kristin Casts‘ young adult The Escaped series will be called Cerulean Sea, and it will be out on October 17th.

I know there were probably a ton of covers that I didn’t catch, and I find I have been letting things slide around here the last couple of months while I try and get other things in order. Nothing major, but just life stuff that seems to suck up all the free time. Hopefully I have things back on track now and I won’t get behind again. Hopefully.

Yes, I was totally just rewatching that scene from Sense8 where they all start singing the 4 Non Blondes song and felt the need to start belting out “what’s going on” I think it is called What’s Up, but What’s Going On works better for me. So, what’s going on? There aren’t any new series starting up this week, and like last week I thought I would again do something a bit different. But instead of looking into what new series you have been enjoying, I thought we could look at what series you follow that have just sort of…stopped, leaving you waiting for the next book that never seems to come. Or is promised to come – someday.

Mine is actually from Shana Abe. I was really hit or miss on her Drakon series – loved some, totally didn’t dig others. It was really weird, actually. I haven’t had that type of reaction to any other series that I remember. Of course, there have been times when I haven’t liked a certain installment in a series as much as some of the others, but not from one extreme to the other and back again in the course of five books. But what I did love was her young adult spin-off The Sweetest Dark books. The setting, the writing, the characters – loved it all. What I am not loving so much? The endless wait for the third book, which has been in limbo for, oh, about three years now, with no end in sight. I do know it is supposed to be in progress, but no clue on when. I keep looking for info, but no luck so far. I understand that things happen, but I think it is the lack of updates that bugs me the most. Or maybe I am just too demanding?

That one is probably the worst for me, but there are other series that seem to have just died off somehow. Like has anyone heard anything about the Downside Ghosts series from Stacia Kane? I haven’t started that one yet, but I have heard such good things about it I am really looking forward to diving in – but there hasn’t been any news about it for ages. Ditto Dani Harper‘s Changeling series and Coreene Callahan‘s Dragonfury books. I keep looking for info, but no luck.

What book has kept you in limbo the longest? What series do you follow that has just sort of gone into indefinite hiatus? How long do you wait before you just lose hope and move on?

There really hasn’t been anything going on in the book world, lately, or if there has been, I just haven’t noticed. The most exciting thing I came across was the news from Jeaniene Frost that there would be a fourth Vlad and Layla Night Prince book, rather than ending at three this January with the release of Bound by Flames. Nice…and I still want Ian.

On the cover front, there hasn’t been much excitement, either. I did manage to dig up five relatively new ones to take a peek at, though, starting with the next one from Charlaine Harris. Day Shift is the second book in her Midnight, Texas series, and it is due out on May 5th.

So, feeling the love for any of these? I for the life of me can’t remember if I read the last Dragonfury book – my list says yes, but my memory says no. Strange. Also, not sure about the Rogue cover. Hopefully it is one of those that look better in person, because it wouldn’t make me pick it up from the shelf at all. And what do you think about a fourth Night Prince book? Were you like me, happy but quietly whimpering “but, but…Ian?” under your breath?

It looks like there is a little something for everyone this time around – a couple of adult, some young adult, and even a novella cover. I didn’t know Lara Adrian had another novella in the works, but it looks like the next story from her Midnight Breed world will be called Marked by Midnight, and it will feature Mathias Rowan. Look for it on June 30th.

Coreene Callahan continues her Circle of Seven series with the release of Knight Avenged on July 15th.

Heather Demetrios starts a new series on October 7th with the release of Exquisite Captive.

Word has finally come down about the third Raven Cycle book from Maggie Stiefvater.Blue Lily, Lily Blue will be released on October 28th.

Just for kicks, I thought I would up both the North American and UK versions of the cover for Heir of Fire, the third book in the Throne of Glass series from Sarah J. Maas. First up is the US version…

…and next up is the UK version. Heir of Fire will be out on September 2nd.

I like both Heir of Fire covers. Usually one is great and the other bites, but it looks like both versions turned out really well. I love the Maggie Stiefvater cover – I bought the first two books in the series mostly because of the great covers, and this one is even better. Any of these something you are looking forward to?

Cassandra sent me an e-mail yesterday with a very cool promo for the book I chose as my pick of the week this week. Other than giveaways and the occasional cheesy trailer, I haven’t seen much in the way of catchy marketing many books, but I thought this newspaper-y add for Coreene Callahan‘s Fury of Desire was well done.

Have you seen any book marketing that has stood out for you? Does something like this catch your eye more than one of those teaser video trailers does?

Another week, another book I am looking forward to. I have read the first three Dragonfury books from Coreene Callahan, and as I have said before they have a very strong early Black Dagger Brotherhood vibe (which is not a bad thing, at all). I would say that if you were a fan of the first books in J.R. Ward‘s mega-series, you would probably enjoy Fury of Desire, too.

Synopsis…

Of all of the warriors in the Nightfury pack, none is more complicated or more damaged than Wick. Emotionally scarred from a childhood of slavery and torture, Wick can barely stand the touch of another person. But all bets are off when he meets newcomer J.J. Solares. When J.J. is unjustly imprisoned, Wick agrees to help rescue and return her to the family fold. But Wick lives a life of self-imposed isolation, even among his beloved brothers in arms. Venturing into the world to seek justice for J.J. may be more than he can bear.

Meanwhile J.J. fights for her life at the hands of brutal prison guard Griggs. When she winds up in the hospital she sees no hope for things getting better. But events take a dramatic turn when she and Wick encounter each other. The connection they share is unlike anything either has felt before. J.J. believes she is hallucinating when she sees the majestic dark-haired god sweep in to save her, and Wick is shaken to his core by the attraction he feels for J.J. For the first time in his life, he finds himself wanting to get close to a woman.

After J.J.’s rescue, the two retire to Wick’s mountain home, where J.J. recovers from physical injury while attempting to help Wick recover from his emotional ones. But neither is out of harm’s way yet. And when they find themselves in the center of a Dragonkind war, they are forced to make the ultimate choice between surrendering to their fears or each other’s love.

Any other fans of the Dragonfury books? Did you get the Ward vibe like I did, and what did you think of it?

Just over a year ago, author Coreene Callahan started her Dragonfury series with a trilogy that included Fury of Fire, Fury of Ice, and Fury of Seduction. Word was that there was at least three more stories planned, and now both the cover and the blurb for the fourth book, Fury of Desire, have been made public. This one will be released on October 15th.

Of all of the warriors in the Nightfury pack, none is more complicated or more damaged than Wick. Emotionally scarred from a childhood of slavery and torture, Wick can barely stand the touch of another person. But all bets are off when he meets newcomer J.J. Solares. When J.J. is unjustly imprisoned, Wick agrees to help rescue and return her to the family fold. But Wick lives a life of self-imposed isolation, even among his beloved brothers in arms. Venturing into the world to seek justice for J.J. may be more than he can bear.

Meanwhile J.J. fights for her life at the hands of brutal prison guard Griggs. When she winds up in the hospital she sees no hope for things getting better. But events take a dramatic turn when she and Wick encounter each other. The connection they share is unlike anything either has felt before. J.J. believes she is hallucinating when she sees the majestic dark-haired god sweep in to save her, and Wick is shaken to his core by the attraction he feels for J.J. For the first time in his life, he finds himself wanting to get close to a woman.

After J.J.’s rescue, the two retire to Wick’s mountain home, where J.J. recovers from physical injury while attempting to help Wick recover from his emotional ones. But neither is out of harm’s way yet. And when they find themselves in the center of a Dragonkind war, they are forced to make the ultimate choice between surrendering to their fears or each other’s love.

This series was a pleasant surprise. It has a very, very strong Black Dagger Brotherhood vibe going on, in both tone and language, but it turns out that I liked it. I have hopes that Wyck’s story will be as enjoyable as the first three. What did you think of the Dragonfury books?